Cap and jar wrench



June 24, 1941. M. A. wEsT CAP AND JAR WRENCH Filed April l5, 1938 INVENTOR Maxwell West Patented June 24, 1941 Maxwell A. West, Portland, Oreg., assigner to Bocjl Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corpora- .tion .of Delaware Application April 1'5, 1938, Serial No. 202,237

(Cl. 8l..3.1)

Z Claims.

rIlhis invention relates to a jar or cap wrench for use in connection with jars having `screwed caps thereon and is particularly useful in connection with jars and caps of the Well-known Mason type. r-Ihe present application isa continuation in part of my application Ser. No. 76,753 `filed April 28, 1936, for Jar sealing device and Wrench.

The lids of Mason vjars 'are usually screwed onto the jar While the contents `of Athe -jar are hot and while the jar and the cover are hot. In order to effectively apply the cap to the jar, it is desirable to have some Way of effectively holding the jar from turning `While the cap itself is being screwed on. According to the present 4invention, there is provided a device'which can be interchangeably used either on the cap or on the jar so that a person having a pair of such devices can use one for holding the jar and the other for turning the cap and either may be Aused interchangeably with the other. `The invention further provides an appliance of this character by means of which the cover can be easily turned Without likelihood of the palm of the hand or of the fingers contacting `the cap. When the device is used on the jar itself, it provides a support in which the jar is kept level, which is not `likely to slip, and which holds the bottom of the jar out of contact with any cold surface. The invention further provides a device of this character Which is not only applicable to Mason jars and to Mason jar caps, but `Which can also be adjusted for use in tightening or removing the caps of vessels which are considerably smaller than Mason jars or which are considerably larger in diameter than such jars.` `The present invention provides an appliance of this character which will cling to a jar cap and which will not be likely to slip off and which can very easily be tightened about the cap to be removed and tightened onto a jar With very little `movement of the lingers. Incidentally, the invention provides also a Wrench of this character which is particularly adapted for use with a jar cap and with a sealing tool of the character disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 199,822 filed April 4, 1938.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of an appliance embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View thereof Figure 3 is a fragmentary view representing@ portion :of the inner surface of `the device;

Figure 4 `is a Vfragmentary view of a Vportion of the exterior of the device in elevation;

Figure `5 shows the appliance appliedto-the cap of a Mason jar, `the jar being shown in elevation and the appliance being shown section;

Fig-ure 6 is ya view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the manner in which the appliance is i'ltted to the bottom -oi a jar and also showing the manner in which the appliance may be used -for turn-ing a seal-ing tool;

Figure 7 is a top plan v.vievv of the device embodying my invention showing the `manner in Which it maybe contracted for engagement with a small diameter cap; and

Figure `8 is a-iragmentary plan View of a sealing ftool which may `'be employed in conjunction with the device.

Referring to the drawing, -the dev-ice comprises a relatively thick flat -band 4formed of elastic rubber or similar material, this 'band being designated by .2. At the top of lthe band vis an in- Wardly turned topilange lor web 3 which is open at its center andthe Web is 4vprovided With a number of inwardly extending iingers .4 which vare preferably .separated from each other by an intervening open space 5. As shown in thel drawing, `the fingers .form a preferably star-shaped pattern with the bases of the spaces 5 between the :fingers Vrounded .as indicated at 6. The band 2 is split at one point around its periphery and this split .extends through the web 3 to the opening inthe top. The split is preferably in a generally tangential line rather than a radial line whereby the .ends of the vband ladjacent the split have reverse inclinations with respect to a radius of the device, these `oppositely inclined end portions being designated 2c and 2b. When VAthe device vis in repose with the parts lin the position which they Vnormally assume, the surfaces '2a and 2b are separated from each other only a small fraction of an inch. In this condition, the device is substantially circular and the internal diameter .of `the ring 2 ,is approximately the saine or just vslightly less than the maximum diameter of an ordinary Mason jar .ca-p. When the device is squeezed to bringsurfaces 2a and `2b into -abutment, it will still `appear to be substantially circular.

Onzthe bottom edge of .the-outside of the band or ring `2 there is preferably provided an outturned Vlip 1. Above Vthe lip 'l the .device -is vertically corrugated or fluted as indicated in 8, and the top 4corner of the device may also 'be suitably roughened .or corrugated as indicated at k9, The .interior 10i the Vband f2 is also suitably roughened, it preferably having intersecting vertical and horizontal ridges formed therein forming minute square recesses on the inner surface of the band. This roughened or recessed area of the band is designated l0. In addition to these small recesses, there may be vertically extending grooves Il at regular intervals around the interior of the ring.

In use the device may be slipped down over a jar cap. By reason of the fact that the device is split it will readily slip down over the cap. When it is applied to the cap, the side walls of the cap will be almost completely covered, `only a small portion of the cap between the surfaces 2a and 2b being exposed. When pressure is applied by laying the hand on the top of the device and compressing the band with the fingers and thumb, the two surfaces 2a and 2b will practically come together. Web 3 with the inwardly extending iingers 4 provides a protection to keep the palm of the hand from; coming into contact with the cover and this portion of the device also provides a surface against which the ball of the palm of the hand may press in applying a twisting pressure to the appliance. While the -lip 'I on the bottom of the band or ring is not necessary, it is highly desirable because it tends to hold the bottom edge of the device against the sides of the cap, notwithstanding the fact that the cap has slight taper. Also it provides a surface against which the fingers naturally press when the device is being used so that the greatest gripping pressure is applied near the bottom of the cap and there is no tendency for the device to spread or ride off the cap when the cap is being turned. Without this rib the application of pressure is likely to be near the top, tending to expand the bottom of the band 2 from the cap. The internal vertical grooves Il are of particular advantage where the cap is provided with vertical or inclined ribs in the threaded portion thereof as illustrated in Figure 5 and as more fully described and claimed in my said copending application Serial No. 199,822. The grooves H are preferably wide enough to take care of either vertically ridged caps or caps having inclined ridges as described in said application.

When the device is applied to the bottom of the jar, the ring will be stretched considerably beyond the diameter shown in Figure l, moving the two ends of the band 2a and 2b apart as clearly shown at the bottom of Figure 6. By reason of the fact that the web 4 has inwardly extending ngers thereon instead of being a continuous web, the device can be spread in this manner. The stretching serves to open up the spaces 5 between the ngers. By rounding the rubber at points 6 between the ngers, the stretch of the rubber at these places is distributed and the likelihood of the rubber splitting or tearing under normal conditions of use is eliminated. Where the ngers come together` in a sharp-pointed V as disclosed in my earlier application Serial No. 76,753, the rubber is likely to tear.

The discontinuous character of the top web also enables the device to be used on caps which are of very much smaller diameter than Mason jar caps. This is plainly shown in Figure? where one end of the band is lapped over the other end to form a wrench of much smaller diameter. When this is done, the fingers d will be crowded closer together and will tend to move upwardly awayfrom their normal plane and thereby relieve the web from buckling as it would do if'the spaces 5 were not provided. The fingers 4 cover a substantial area of the top of the appliance. This is to form a protection for the hand. They do not interfere either with the expansion or contraction of the appliance to meet the different requirements of use for which it is intended.

When the device is applied to the bottom ol an ordinary Mason jar as shown at bottom of Figure 6, a substantial portion of the periphery of the jar will be embraced by the band 2, the

separation of the ends 2a and 2b being much. less than Consequently, when the device is applied to a jar in this fashion, the jar can be set down on a table or other support and will remain level. Moreover, the web extending under ythe jar will keep the bottom of the jar elevated from contact with the table or other place where the jar is set. By reason of the fact that a considerable portion of the periphery of the jar is embraced by the appliance, the jar can be very readily held from turning and there is no necessity for the hand being brought into contact with the hot jar.

In my said application Serial No. 199,822, I have disclosed a tool for shaping the sealing edge at the bottom of a Mason jar cap. This tool, which is shown in Figures 6 and 8, comprises a metal annulus I2 having a central opening therein of a diameter such that the device can be slipped over the top of the cap as shown in Figure 6 and pressed against the sealing lip I3 on the bottom edge of the cap. The annulus has a slight taper adjacent the central opening so as to conform to the desired slope of the flange on the jar rubber, the top and bottom surfaces both being tapered so that the ring may be reversed and the rst surface used. These tapered surfaces are slightly scarfed or have radial indentations therein. When the ring is pressed down against the iiange i3 and rotated, it will serve to iron out any slight irregularities in the ange i3.V The wrench ofY the present invention may be used to rotate this ring in the manner illustrated in Figure 6. After the iianging tool or ring l2 has been placed over the cap and is in contact with the edge I3 of the cap, the rubber wrench is placed over the cap. The bottom edge of the cap, which may be corrugated, rests on the ring l2 and the top of the wrench is spaced above the top of the cap.- The wrench Z may then be turned first in one direction and then in the other by a twist of the wrist and this motion will be transmitted through friction to the tool. This twisting is done by applying vertical pressure without compressing the ring to a point where it Will bind on the cap. In order to enable the wrench to more effectively hold its form when this downward pressure along with twisting is being exerted, tool I2 may have small lugs h2 struck upwardly from the surfaces thereof, these projections I4 being located just outside the ring or ange l on the rubber wrench thereby confining the wrench against spreading. The lugs or projections lll are struck out in opposite directions from both surfaces of the metal ring i2 so that it will be available when the ring is reversed or is turned other side up.

The device presents many advantages over the various wrenches heretofore provided. Among these advantages are the fact that a single wrench may be interchangeably used for both a Mason jar cap and for a Mason jar and for engagement with caps of a wide range of diameters greater or less than the diameter of a Mason jar cap. When used on the bottom of a jar to aefiaoee restrain the jar from turning, the device may provide a support which will keep the jar level and hold it out of contact with any cold surface. By providing a web with the inwardly extending lingers, the device affords greater protection to the hands and is easier to manipulate. It retains its shape more effectively. By reason of the split in the band being such that two ends of the band are separated a fraction of an inch, the device will substantially embrace a jar cap not leaving any considerable area exposed to contact with the hand and the device is made available for use with wider ranges of sizes of jar caps. By the provision of the flange l at the bottom edge of the appliance, it can be more effectively employed on a jar cap and it can be more effectively used for turning a flanging tool such as the device i2 of Figure 8. The device is more convenient and more flexible in the manner of its use than devices of this general character heretofore provided and it has other advantages than those herein enumerated.

While I have illustrated and described certain embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the device within the contemplation of my invention and within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An appliance of the class described comprising a ring-like soft rubber body with inwardly turned top portion open at its center and having a plurality of inwardly projecting lingers thereon, the body being severed at one point in its periphery, the line of severance also extending across CIK apart, the appliance normally assuming a shape where the ends of the body are separated only a small fraction of an inch and with the body having a normal internal diameter at such time closely approximating the outside diameter of a conventional fruit jar cap.

2. An appliance of the class described for use on either the bottom of a conventional fruit jar or for use on the cap as a wrench comprising an elastic rubber-like band of generally circular form severed at one point in its perimeter to enable it to be expanded or contracted, the band normally assuming a generally circular :form with the ends separated only a fraction of an inch and of an internal diameter approximating the diameter of a conventional jar cap, the band having an inwardly turned harige around one edge thereof, the flange also being severed, the inwardly turned flange serving to extend under the bottom of a jar when a jar is set thereon, the device when applied to the bottom of a standard jar embracing a suflicient portion thereof to provide a support which will hold the jar level when the jar with the device thereon is set on a flat surface, the device when applied to the bottom of a jar embracing a suiiicient portion ci the periphery of the jar to provide an effective grip without bringing the hands into Contact with the jar itself, the inwardly turned flange having inwardly extending fingers thereon which provide protection against the palm of the hand being brought into contact with a jar cap when the device is applied to the cap, the ngers, however, permitting the device to be distorted by bringing the ends of the band into overlapping relation for engaging articles of smaller diameter than the conventional jar cap.

MAXl/VELL A. WEST. 

